Weekly eNews - Emmanuel Lutheran Church

eNews

Week of December 20, 2020

Fourth Sunday of Advent

From All of Us to All of You!

Pastor Hall

Pastor Darrington

Kris Bowker

Debi Hammett

Becky Rothgery

Jason Kozee

Barb Spenks

Linda Trzaskos

Kelley Hurlburt

In this week's eNews...

Pick up your giving envelopes and Pandemic cookbooks in the office.
Today, Thursday, December 17 - Virtual Christmas Tea @ 2pm
Friday, December 18 - Virtual Christmas Concert @ 7pm
Thursday, December 24 - Christmas Eve Worship
Worship Next Weekend - Saturday, Dec 26th @ 5pm and Sunday, Dec 27th @ 10am ONLY!
Signup is now open for Altar Flowers and Eternal Candle dedication for Jan-Mar of 2021 through the links below.

Christmas Eve Worship Schedule and Reservations

3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm

Worship for Christmas Eve will be held on the same basis as our other in-person services. The 5pm service will be posted to the website and the 6pm service will be live-streamed to FaceBook. Limited seating and safety protocols followed - masks are required. Please social distance when entering or exiting the church.

Please note: The worship schedule for December 26/27 has changed. There will only be two services:

Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 10am.

Click Here to Register For Next Weekend - December 26/27

For December 26/27 the 5pm service will be available on our website and the 10am service will be live-streamed to Facebook.

TODAY! 12.17.20 at 2:00pm

Brew a "Cup of Tea" and Join Us!!

The Women of the ELCA (WELCA) are planning to have some fun, like we always do; we are just modifying our approach to fit with the times. With that in mind, we are hosting a Virtual ZOOM Christmas Tea TODAY -Thursday, December 17, from 2:00pm to 2:30 pm. Everyone is welcome. With social distancing in place it is still important for us to stay connected.

The most important part of a Christmas Tea is the tea of course! Make sure that you have tea, or another favorite beverage, ready a few minutes before the ZOOM Christmas Tea begins.

You will have to download Zoom before the tea or use your browser to connect.
The Virtual Christmas Tea program will include: music, readings, and more
We don’t want to limit the number of guests who can attend; therefore, participants will be muted during the program.
In your home you can sit back, relax, sip your tea, enjoy the entertainment and not be concerned about noises such as a ringing phone or a dog barking.

We look forward to seeing you at the Virtual Christmas Tea Party.

Dr. Marlyce Holbach, WELCA President

Click HERE to join us on Zoom

Narthex Renovation Project Update & Steps Forward

December 17, 2020

We are quickly approaching the end of 2020, the time we had set to re-examine the decision to postpone the Narthex Renovation project. A few weeks ago, we asked the Finance Committee (FC) to provide recommendations to us concerning this project. These recommendations have now been accepted by Council. The approved Council motion is:

The Church Council continues to support the Narthex Project, but unanimously recommends that the project contract decision be reevaluated at the Annual Congregational meeting in January 2022.

(Click here to continue reading the full article)

Follow-up

Centering Prayer is a method of prayer, which prepares us to receive the gift of God's presence, traditionally called contemplative prayer. It consists of responding to the Spirit of Christ by consenting to God’s presence and action within. In his December 6th message, Deacon Scott encouraged us to expand our prayer life.

Here are some resources and contact information:

Contact Susan Holm for joining the existing Centering Prayer group: sjeholm@me.com .
Contact Birdie Clark for any questions or encouragement: birdieclark48@aol.com or at 941.488.4360
The book "Into The Silent Land" (copies in the Church Library)
Click on each of these YouTube videos: Thomas Keating Centering Prayer Guidelines, Cynthia Bourgeault Christian Centering Prayer, or What is Centering Prayer / How do we do it?

There will also be a Zoom Centering Prayer workshop in February and before Lent a new Centering Prayer group may be forming. Watch for details in the future!

Thank you to Birdie Clark for compiling this list of information.

Family Festive Fun @ Blalock Park

Venice Area Beautification, Inc. (VABI) has sponsored a Holiday Tree Lighting in Blalock Park for many years. This year the main event has been cancelled due to the pandemic BUT THE LIGHTS ARE STILL SHINING! Blalock Park trees are decorated and the public is invited to stroll through (at a safe distance and masked) or drive around the park to view the beautiful trees. This event will run through January 2, 2021. Blalock Park is located "behind" the library. Enjoy some Christmas spirit that is on display in Venice.

In Our Prayers...

Vickie Andres , Nicholas Belamour (Pr. Livenson’s father-in-law), Karen MacDonald, Ethan McKee (grandson of Theresa & Tim McKee) and John Verost.

The family and friends of Kenneth Authier, Jerry Authier's brother, as they mourn his passing.
Also the family and friends of Stan Robinson who mourn his passing. No local service will be held.

Now Available at the Office

Mon-Thurs, 8:30am-12noon

Pandemic cookbooks are now in the office. Please have your check made out to Emmanuel Lutheran Church or have exact cash. As a reminder, they are $8 each. Thanks!

Your 2021 Giving Envelopes are now at the office for you to pick-up.

Barb's tidbit...

Four supplements to question after age 50:

Folic Acid may mask a B12 deficiency in doses of 300mcg, and in doses of more than 800mcg is linked to burning, tingling or numbness in extremities.
Calcium can increase the risk of kidney stones, and artery plaque. It can also negatively interact with some thyroid and heart medications.
Iron can mask symptoms of anemia and can inhibit the absorption of certain antibiotics and blood pressure lowering drugs.
Vitamin E has been linked to a higher risk of heart failure, and prostate cancer. It may also make some chemotherapy drugs less effective.

Save yourself some $$ by eliminating one or more of these after talking to your doctor.

Any Additional Food Pantry donations....

Any food donations to the South County Food Pantry should be taken directly to the South County Food Pantry located at 121 Warfield Avenue, Venice. The church is not collecting on a regular basis at this time. Their website states that their hours vary so call before you go! 941.408.2911.

December Outreach Emphasis

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) is a leading, life-changing human services organization working to transform the lives of people regardless of age, background, or belief.

They generously serve children and families, youth and teens, adults and elderly, refugees and immigrants, and victims of natural disasters through various programs ranging from substance abuse and mental health to education.

Through our work, we help communities build healthier, happier, and hope-filled tomorrows.

Dedicate Altar Flowers and Eternal Candle - Jan-Mar 2021

There plenty of dates open!! Sign-up to dedicate Altar Flowers and the Eternal Candle for the First Quarter of 2021 (Jan-Mar) is now available online by clicking the links below. Once you have reserved your date, please submit your dedication with payment no later than 2 weeks prior to your reserved date. If you have any questions or are unable to sign-up online, contact the office.

Jan-Mar Eternal Candle

Jan-Mar Altar Flowers

Readings for Worship

December 20th

Fourth Sunday of Advent

2 Samuel 7:1-11,16

Psalm 89:1-4,19-26

Romans 16:25-27

Luke 1:26-38

December 27th

First Sunday after Christmas

Isaiah 61:10-62:3

Psalm 148

Galatians 4:4-7

Luke 2:22-40

Remember these guidelines when coming to worship:

6 feet social distancing requirements - do not crowd pews.
Remember to wear a mask and use the hand sanitizer available in the narthex or pews.
Please do not stop in the narthex or inside the sanctuary.
Wait for the ushers to dismiss your row. They start at the back of the sanctuary. For everyone’s safety and proper distancing, follow the ushers instructions.

Reminder: Please wear your Name Badges when attending worship so we know who you are while wearing your face masks!!!

For your information...

As a gentle reminder to everyone, if you have been exposed to COVID in any way or are not feeling well, please follow self-management steps to ensure you are not exposing other members of our congregation. Your cooperation is very much appreciated by everyone. In addition, should you contract COVID, please notify the church office for contact tracing.

Due to increasing COVID numbers in the area, the Executive Committee has extended the cancellation of all non-worship activities through January 5th. The Executive Committee will re-evaluate at that time.

Want to know more about some of the items in eNews? When viewing the eNews online or on your mobile device and you see the pointing finger when running your mouse over a graphic or text, you will be able to link to more information such as a flyer, website, etc. Try it with the top picture of the church!!

Devotional/worship: Sunday Worship is posted after 8:30am to the website and the 10am service is live-streamed on FaceBook. Thursdays Together with Pastor Hall is accessible through the Zoom link above. All previous worship services are also available through our website by clicking on the Vimeo logo in the upper left corner of the posted video on the website.